Fall 2013 - New College

F A L L
E D I T I O N
2 0 1 3
ARTWORK BY MICHAEL LINDENAS
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1
T A B L E
O F
C O N T E N T S
4 - E D I T O R ’ S
5 - O F F I C E
6 - N E W
O F
8 - C A N A D A ’ S
1 2 - S T A N D
1 4 - V O L U N T E E R I N G
1 8 - S T A R T I N G
C O U N C I L
T O P
F E S T I V A L
A D
E X E C
WITH J A C Q U E L I N E
O U T
1 6 - R E S U M E
M A S T E R
S T U D E N T S
N E X T
I N T E R V I E W
- N E W
T H E
C O L L E G E
7 - I N T E R N A T I O N A L
1 0 - A N
N O T E
A S
A
A N D
&
N E W
B E I N G
C O V E R
Y O U R
O W N
C O L L E G E
2 3 - A P A A
2 4 - H R S A
2 5 - M C A
2 6 - N F S A
2 7 - N M S A
T R A N
G R A D
I N V O L V E D
L E T T E R
B U S I N E S S
C L U B S -
4
E D I T O R ’ S
T
N O T E
his fall, the
entire team
is proud and
excited to
launch the rebranding of New Beat
magazine. It’s time
for a change, and a
fresh new look. New
Beat is a magazine
run by students for
students. So, we’re
striving to give the
students of New
College what
they want.
sible for the fate of Gotham, and Neo for the
Now, change doesn’t happen overnight, and
someone to do something extraordinary, or
we still have a lot of work to do, but it’s our
answer the questions that everyone’s asking.
hope that this year we can establish the foun-
It’s my final year at York, and it’s taken me
dations for a bright future at New Beat.
three years to finally get involved. I love
The future of the magazine depends on you!
reading and writing; I think that the pen is
people of Zion, you’re responsible for the
content of New Beat. I bet you’ve seen the
‘My Time’ posters around campus. Well, this
is your time so, make the most of it! Let us
know what kinds of articles you want, what
interests you, and we’ll make it happen. The
students of New College control the content
of this magazine.
I don’t know about you, but I read a lot of dry
textbooks while at school. Let’s not make this
magazine another boring read that you can’t
wait to get rid of. New Beat is a chance for
students to escape the world of academia and
to talk about the issues that they find inter-
“ We all
have a
voice,
it’s about
time we
use it. ”
esting. We all have a voice, it’s about time we
use it. Come next semester, New Beat will be
looking for volunteers to write for the winter
edition. Take the chance, and make yourself
heard. Write an article that will inspire
Yup, that’s right, you’re responsible for the fate mightier than the sword. Yes, I just ripped
off Voltaire, but the point I’m trying to make
of New Beat. Just like Batman was respon-
N E W
B E A T
is that it’s never too late to try something
new. Most of us will go to University once
in our lifetime. Make the most of your time
here at York, and make sure you leave here
with no regrets. If you want to find out more
about how you can be involved with New
Beat, or if you’d like to give us your
feedback, feel free to write an email
to newcol@yorku.ca.
T E A M
D I R E C TO R A C A D E M I C A F FA I R S & R E S O U R C E S
EDITOR IN CHIEF
MEDIA ASSISTANT
NICK GANDOTRA
TERRY TYLER
IFFAT RAZZAQUE
5
O F F I C E
O F
T H E
M A S T E R
The New College mandate is to create opportunities for students to gain skills and
experience that will allow them to develop
personally and professionally.
S T A F F
MASTER
CHRISTIAN MARJOLLET
We organize multiple events/activities, run various programs, and provide additional
support for activities coordinated by our student clubs, student council, and our three
affiliated schools.
Student Staff 2013 – 2014:
ADMINISTRATIVE COORDINATOR
FILOMENA PESTANA
Angela Witkowski
Faiza Ishaq
- PASS Leader ADMS 2320
Krima Patel
- PASS Leader ADMS 2510
Mitra Kavehmehr
- PASS Leader ADMS 2510
Emily Zhao
- PASS Leader ADMS 2510
Nikita Puri
- PASS Leader ADMS 3330
Winson Li
- PASS Leader ADMS 3330
Josie Rao
- PASS Leader ADMS 3530
STUDENT SUCCESS PROGRAMS
A N D E V E N T S A S S I S T A N T ALICIA DI STEFANO
Menna Osman
- PASS Leader ADMS 3530
Steven Khaouli
- PASS Leader ITEC 1620
Rivan Zora
Alexandria Mottley
RECEPTIONIST
MICHELLE FUCCHANSKY
- PASS Leader ADMS 2320
- PASS Leader ITEC 1620
- Global House Programming
Assistant – Pond Residence
CONTACT INFO
EMAIL: newcol@yorku.ca
PHONE: (416) 736-5233
WEBSITE: www.yorku.ca/newcollege
HOURS: Mon - Thurs: 9 am - 6 pm
OFFICE: Room 140, Atkinson Building
Fri: 9 am to 5 pm
6
N E W
N
ew College
Council is
an elected
body that
represents the interests of New College
students.
C O L L E G E
C O U N C I L
Get
Involved!
We organize several events and programs for
students throughout the year with the help of
the Master’s Office. Some of our events include
fall and winter orientations, a themed formal,
and study sessions around exam periods.
We also organize trips to Montréal and Blue
Mountain.
Feel free to use any of the
following resources to
connect with us:
For athletes and sports enthusiasts, we have
an amazing and highly active intramural program for almost every kind of sports.
Website
YUConnect
www.newcollegecouncil.com
yorku.collegiatelink.net/
We urge you to make use of the resources
Twitter
made available to you and we’re always happy
@NewCollegeYU
to lend a helping hand. Our office is located in
Room 105, inside the Atkinson Building. We
also have a social recreational lounge open to
all students in Room 107; infamously
known as “The Loft” within the
New College Community.
Instagram
@newcollegeyu
organization/newcollegecouncil
Facebook
www.facebook.com/
NewCollegeYU
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I N T E R N A T I O N A L
S T U D E N T
F E S T I V A L
On a seemingly quiet
afternoon in Toronto,
a group of New
College’s international students attended
the 2nd annual
Toronto International Student Festival
on Saturday,
September 28, 2013.
The event took place
from 12:30 - 6:00 pm.
at David Pecaut
Square, 55 John
Street (at King
and John).
Sponsored by CIBC, Rogers Communications
and the Province of Ontario, this event is part
of the city’s efforts to enhance the positive
experiences of international students who
come here to study and live. Did you know that
Toronto has emerged as the largest centre of
foreign students in Canada with over 59,000
particularly enjoy Toronto’s up-and-coming
international students?
makeup artists showing off their skills. We
The festival embraced the diversity of
even got our very own NCC member, Nick
nations with displays in the form of live
Gandotra, to participate in a challenge to
performances and cultural exhibitions,
make him appear years older. All in all, it
featuring Ojibwe pow-wows, Scottishhigh-
was a day full of excitement, activities and
land dancing and a Bollywood dance. This
ended with a bang at a barbeque
event was particularly useful for new
back at New College.
international students to get a chance to
speak to local and provincial agencies and
understand their roles.
Last but not the least, who doesn’t enjoy free
things? There were countless giveaways at
the festival, from samples of Maggi to ISIC
cards and sunglasses! Our group seemed to
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Y O R K
A T
U N I V E R S I T Y
C A N A D A ’ S
N E X T
S C O R I N G
T O P
A D
H I G H
E X E C
BY: SUNTHAR VYKUNTHANATHAN
M
ost of
us can
only
dream
about driving away
in a brand new car.
However...
On March 27th, 2013, a team of two from
University of Guelph made their dream come
true at Canada’s Next Top Ad Exec (CNTAE):
a Canada-wide advertising case competition.
Among the other winners were two of York
University’s very own Telly Carayannakis
and Misha Bholat from Schulich who took
home 3rd prize. Three other teams (2 from
YorkU SAS Business programs and another
from Schulich) also made it to the TOP 25
Semi-final round.
I (along with my partner Valeria Rivera)
were fortunate to be part of the Top 25 and
though we didn’t drive home in the prize
car this year, I wanted to share the amazing
journey we had along the way and encourage
more York University students to take advantage of this and various other competitions
that occur throughout the year.
I had overheard of Top Ad Exec a few times
before, but was really encouraged to compete
after taking the Advertising course with
Professor Pallavi Sodhi, who has been
involved with Ad Exec since its inception
General Motors’ Chevrolet sponsored
and is on the judging panel of the competi-
CNTAE this year and the competition case
tion. After completing her course in Fall
focused on creating a winning campaign for
2012, she encouraged all students of the
the Chevrolet Equinox. The 1st phase of the
class, especially those who did exception-
competition “seemed” fairly simple at first,
ally well in the advertising project thesis to
but we realized soon enough that it would be
enter the competition. Being one of those
tough to stand out among hundreds of high-
students, I found a teammate that I work
caliber teams. We had to create a 2-page
well with, Valeria Rivera and we decided to
elevator pitch to advertise for Equinox. Our
participate. We, as well as a couple of other
idea had to stand out to make a differ-
qualifying teams from YorkU got coached by
ence. Val and I created (what we modestly
Prof. Sodhi, but we knew that due to conflicts
thought) was a solid concept.
of interest, she had her limits and she would
The 2nd phase was
definitely more
intense.
not evaluate any of our entries. We found the
entire process conducted by the CNTAE organizing team to be extremely professional,
timely and helpful.
To give you some more history, Canada’s
Next Top Ad Exec was created by DeGroote’s
School of Business 7 years ago, and targets
over 1 million university students including over 160,000 business students spread
across 50+ University campuses in Canada.
Sponsors are Chevrolet Canada, GCI, Mac
Laren McCann, PepsiCo Canada, Canadian
Tire, Microsoft Advertising, Marketing Magazine, Globe and Mail, McDonalds, Cascades
Recovery, and many more.
This year, 114 teams from 32 universities
participated. So, it was a record feat to have
4 teams from YorkU in the Top 25, two from
SAS and two from Schulich.
We did something right because we did make
it to the next round. The 2nd phase was
definitely more intense. The Top 25 were
provided with more detailed information on
the case, analytics software and additional
resources. This I felt was the most amazing
part: we were dealing with an actual client
with a real world problem. We had to sign
non-disclosure agreements to make sure
that information that was shared with us
remained proprietary. This adds a whole new
dimension to the learning style we experi-
New College, Office of the Master and the
ence in the classroom and gives students a
School of Administrative Studies sponsored
taste of the real world. On the flip side, the
our attendance to the final presentations
time constraint is real too! That unfortunate-
and prize gala. Here we had the opportunity
ly led to our team’s demise.
to witness the presentations of the Top 10
With the detailed ad
plans of Phase II due
during midterms,
Val and I could not
devote enough time
on the report. As it
turned out, with our
conflicting schedules
and our commitment
to the midterms, we
could spend only one
day to crank out our
15-page report.
teams and see the variety of ideas that each
team created. After the presentations, during
the cocktail hour, we networked with profes-
9
I genuinely feel that
with better time
management and
effort, Val and I
would have surely
made it to the Top 10.
sionals from all the sponsoring companies.
Hind sight is 20-20. I genuinely feel that with
That was great! It’s not every day that you
better time management and effort, Val and
get to meet all of these executives in a formal
I would have surely made it to the Top 10. I
setting.
will definitely be participating next year if the
Quite often, as students, we find ourselves
opportunity arises. My hope is that more busi-
overwhelmed by the pressure to achieve
ness students from York also take part, as it is
high grades and just trying to keep up with
a great experience to apply all those concepts
our school workload. However, it is equally
in real life that you learned in the classroom.
important to take part in competitions such
And who wouldn’t want to win a brand new
as CNTAE as they offer an addition to your
car?
portfolio, tremendous networking opportunities and a dimension of real-world
experience you just can’t gain from the
For more information on the
Canada’s Next Top Ad Exec, visit
classroom. Without a co-op program
their website at http://www.
Lesson learned:
established at York, the onus is on us to
topadexec.com/ and be sure to
Plan your work and work
build work experiences side by side with our
like them on Facebook to stay in
your plan well.
education. We, as students, should actively
the loop for next year’s
pursue the opportunities that are available
submission deadlines.
So we didn’t make the cut for Top 10 and
to us, and Canada’s Next Top Ad Exec is a
yes, we were sad. But, we were fortunate that
fantastic platform for this.
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T H E
C R E A T I O N
O F
D R E A M S
BY: ZAINAB KHAN
“I [hope to]
develop a compensation strategy that
eliminates the
gender wage gap
and inequalities in
the workplace”
- Jacqueline Tran.
This interview features the 2012 “My Time”
contest winner: Jacqueline Tran, who
happens to be a BHRM (Bachelor of Human
Resources Management) student at New College. She is currently in her final year at York.
She’s as passionate and motivated about her
in her field and had to make ends meet by
but are instead providing a helpful hand in
working in several part-time jobs because
decreasing it.
the payment from one was just not enough.
Their case along with what I learned at York
University helped me to realize that people in
Zainab Khan: Why is this vision important
to you?
the job market are treated unfairly at times,
Jacqueline Tran: It is important to me
and that we need to do something to rectify
because it has affected my life indirectly. For
this situation.
example, I saw that after the 2008 recession
Yes, I believe that
women still have a
long way to go because although the
Pay Equity Act helps
... it alone is not
enough.
vision as when she first got the idea. This
it was difficult for my parents to obtain a
well-paying job, and when they found one,
the companies that they worked for treated
them poorly and underpaid them for their
time. Although my parents still managed
to provide me with a healthy lifestyle, thus
minimizing the effect it had had on me, this
particular situation helped me in grasping
just how much inequality still exists within
workplaces.
interview provides an overview on why Ms.
Zainab Khan: Why did you choose to make
Tran chose to make the former quotation her
this your vision for the future? Do you still
Zainab Khan: How do you plan on accom-
life goal (career wise) and how she plans on
feel that women have a long way to go when
plishing your goal by 2034?
turning her dreams into a reality.
it comes to pay equity?
Zainab Khan: How did you come up with
Jacqueline Tran: Yes, I believe that
specializing in my field (i.e. compensation)
this idea? Was this vision the result of a per-
women still have a long way to go
and then gaining as much experience as I can
sonal experience? If so, how has it affected
because although the Pay Equity Act helps
both academically and professionally within
you?
in decreasing the gender wage gap, it alone
this field. Although I cannot achieve this goal
is not enough. In fact, even now only a small
alone, I would still like to spread awareness
number of women hold executive level posi-
on this issue, and get the ball rolling in
tions within organizations. As a result, I feel
this direction with the hope that someday
that employers should take the initiative
this can become a reality.
Jacqueline Tran: This vision was not a
result of a direct personal experience, but of
one that has indirectly affected me, my
family and my friends’ families. For instance,
my friend’s mother had a degree in engineering; even so, she was struggling to find a job
to make sure that their companies are not
helping in increasing the gender wage gap,
Jacqueline Tran: I plan on starting by
I was reassured that
this was not a joke
ing my job interviews. In the past, I never
would be that your vision should be some-
thought that specializing in this field would
thing you’re passionate about, something you
be a possibility even though my interest in
wish to accomplish in life. Even if you are
Zainab Khan: What was your reaction on
it can be traced back to when I took my first
unsure of whether this will remain your
winning the contest?
introductory course in human resources.
vision in the future, if you feel passionately
However, ever since I put my vision in writ-
about it now, you may indirectly or subcon-
ing and saw the goal that I hope to someday
sciously continue to work towards it regard-
achieve, I have been even more motivated to
less of what field you are in later on. As a
work towards it by immersing myself deeper
result, I would advise people to not let
into the craft through formal education, on-
opportunities pass them by because you
the-job application, and through professional
never know what might happen
association workshops.
if you just try.
Jacqueline Tran: Originally I was confused and thought that someone was playing
a prank on me. I had not checked my YorkU
mail that day so, when I received a text message stating that I had won the “My Time”
contest I couldn’t believe it. When I called
the number I had gotten the text message
from, I was reassured that this was not a
Zainab Khan: Do you have any more goals
joke, and that I had actually won the contest.
that you wish to pursue for the future?
After hearing that, I was ecstatic.
Since winning the
“My Time” contest I
have become better
known ... and even
brought up this contest ... during my job
interviews.
Jacqueline Tran: Academically, I aspire
to be a dual designation holder of both the
CHRP (Certified Human Resources Professional) and CCP (Certified Compensation
Professional) designations, and I would also
like to work towards my Master’s degree in
business as well. Career wise, I would like
to specialize in total rewards with a primary
focus on compensation design and advisory.
Zainab Khan: Do you have any advice for
Zainab Khan: How has your life changed
since you’ve won the “My Time” contest? Are
you more motivated to achieve this goal?
Jacqueline Tran: Since winning the “My
Time” contest I have become better known
within the York community, and I have even
brought up this contest, when asked dur-
future applicants?
Jacqueline Tran: My advice to students
JACQUELINE TRAN
11
12
S T A N D
O U T
BY: RAYMOND HO
Are you graduating
soon? It can be scary.
HR majors: Human Resources Students
and register as well. Doing a simple google
Association (HRSA)
search of each club will also allow you to
Management majors: Management and
learn more about them. For example you can
There’s uncertainty of whether or not you’ll
Consulting Association (MCA)
search upcoming events.
land that dream job you’re aiming for after
Finance majors: National Finance
As a business student at York, another great
you graduate. Are there things that can make
Students Association (NFSA)
club to join is the York DECA club. The
you stand out from the stack of applicants?
Marketing majors: New Marketing Stu-
clubs allows you to take part in undergradu-
Of course!
dent Association (NMSA)
ate conferences and case competitions with
I’ve been told that complementing your academic learning with extracurricular activities
is important. Employers want to see that
you have the soft skills. Soft skills can mean
a lot of things, but employers want to know
if you can build relationships with others
(customers or your co-workers/manager) by
The best part about
joining these clubs
is meeting new New
College students
from your major.
other business students from across Ontario.
If you are interested
in accounting,
finance, marketing,
management, and
entrepreneurship
then you must join
DECA!
demonstrating your people skills. You can
You’re free to join whichever club
showcase those skills through extra-curricu-
interests you. That means you can join
lar activities or any job (part time, full time,
clubs that aren’t particular to your degree.
summer, or as an intern).
Most of these professional clubs are run by
Many of the cases you’ll be doing will include
the students of New College. These clubs
those particular fields where you can show
usually plan events for members to attend
off what you learned from your ADMS
and participate in. This can include network-
Courses. Taking part in this will allow you
ing socials, case competitions, conferences,
to expand your network, increase your com-
professional development workshops,
munication skills and experience in the real
There are plenty of clubs at York University
information sessions, and many more. The
world. Google “York DECA” to learn more
that you can take part in. I would suggest
best part about joining these clubs is meeting
about the opportunities.
you join professional clubs in your respective
new New College students from your major.
stream. There is a professional business club
You can build long lasting relationships!
for almost every ADMS major at York:
Representatives and executive team mem-
Employers want to
see that you have
the soft skills.
Accounting majors: Atkinson Professional Accounting Association (APAA)
bers of each club at York usually promote
their organization during York Fest. There
you can learn more about their organization
Students in
Accounting, Marketing, Management,
Finance, IT, and
Human Resources
Management will
find that they are
able to take part in
the York Internship
Program.
Apart from the professional clubs you can
join at York as a business student, you can
join many other ones that interest you. The
next thing I want to mention is the York
Career Centre’s services. If you logon to the
career centre website and click on “Events
& Workshops”, you can register for career
consultation, individual interview practice
sessions, job search advising, resume and
cover letter writing workshops, internship
information sessions, industry insights panels, and many more! You should also check
the internship program at York if you are a
third year student. Students in Accounting,
Marketing, Management, Finance, IT, and
Human Resources Management will find
If you will be graduating this term,
that they are able to take part in the York in-
you should consider applying to rotational
ternship program. Taking advantage of these
programs. In a nutshell, rotational programs
workshops and internships will make you a
are a training program where you experi-
stronger and more confident candidate.
ence each area of a business as a whole. This
If you will be returning to York next
summer, you should also consider the
Ontario Public Service’s Summer Employment Program. I had the opportunity to do
one last summer at one of their downtown
locations. It was an incredible experience.
Some opportunities from their offices
include: accounting, finance, project support,
human resources, information technology
support, office administration, and many
more. These are temporary, full time positions during the summer and they range
helps you understand what their business is
all about.
Grad@loblaws is one example of a popular rotational program that many university
graduates apply to during their fourth or
final year of university. There are fields such
as accounting, finance, marketing, human
resources, store management, etc. Recruitment starts in September and screening
starts in October. Check their website for
more details: www.loblawgrad.ca
from seven to sixteen weeks between May
As you can see there are tons of
and Labour Day – just in time for back to
opportunities (self-development and job
school! They are quite competitive as many
opportunities) you can take part in before
university students do apply! Make sure you
you graduate. What are you waiting for?
mark your calendars (December) and visit
TAKE ACTION!
their website to apply: www.gojobs.gov.
on.ca/sep.asp or google: “summer employment program Ontario public services”.
Visiting the website will also lay out the
eligibility criteria.
13
14
B E Y O N D
G E T T I N G
T H E
B O O K S :
I N V O L V E D
A T
Y O R K
B Y: A LY S S A - S H A N A E L O P E Z
G
SOARING points. Once you complete your
etting
1. Volunteering
specific program, either START, ADVANCE,
involved at There are a lot of volunteer opportunities at
or GRAD, you will also receive a Certificate of
York that students don’t seem to know about.
York can
Participation and Letter of Recognition upon
A tip when it comes to volunteering is that it
be one of
completion of the program.
doesn’t have to be a long-term commitment.
the most worthwhile For those of you who can’t find the time,
experiences of
there are short-term opportunities such as
3. Attend a
volunteering at events like Fall Campus Day,
being a York
Workshop
being a Peer Mentor, or better yet, writing
Attending a workshop is key to success at
student.
for New Beat! Volunteering shows potential
It not only helps with developing
your social skills, but it also helps
you build your professional credentials. Extra-curricular activities
employers that you are compassionate and
can handle responsibilities outside of your
academics. It’s also great to volunteer if you
have little or no work experience because it
helps build your resume.
can most definitely enhance your
scholarship application, and they
York. There are a ton of workshops out there
to choose from, and best of all, it’s free! Take
advantage of these workshops because they
will surely benefit you in the future. Learning
Skills Services (LSS) offers a program called
Passport to Success which rewards you with
a certificate when you complete 8 LSS work-
2. SOARING
shops. This certificate greatly enhances both
SOARING is a great opportunity to build up
your co-curricular record and resume. Aside
After graduating, you might not
your self-esteem and to ensure you become
from LSS, the Career Centre, Writing Centre,
have the time to do the things you
a well-rounded student. The program is
and the Scott Library also offer beneficial
wanted to do. So, you must take
offered
workshops.
advantage of the resources and
by the Centre for Student
can even be used on your resume.
opportunities available to you now.
Here are a few ways to get
involved at York:
Success. SOARING ensures you have sufficient leadership, volunteer, participation,
and other skills for success. You will earn
a certain number of points for each category. The program has its perks as well. By
participating, you will have the opportunity
to win monthly prizes when you enter your
4. Join a Club or
Organization
Joining a club or organization is made easy
at York. All you have to do is log into YU
Connect and start searching for your desired
club or organization. If you really want to get
involved, you can also start your own club.
Information and instructions on starting
your own club can be found on YU Connect.
in intramurals. First, you may represent your
It can be found on YU Connect.
college. You must contact your college’s
The co-curricular record is
athletics representative to be placed on a
meant to enhance your resume.
team. An alternative way to participate in
intramurals is through drop-ins. For more
information on intramurals visit www.
and make friends. This is essential for first
year students and it will make your transition into York much easier.
5. Intramurals
Intramurals are for those who love sports,
but do not necessarily want to be competitive. There are a bunch of sports to choose
from. Participating in intramurals is not only
fun, but it helps you make friends too. You
can build your confidence and stay fit at the
same time! There are two ways to participate
curricular record, you may visit
yorkulions.ca. It is essential to make time to
the Career Centre for assis-
participate
tance.
in intramurals.
>http://yuconnect.yorku.ca/faq/
Joining a club gives you a sense of belonging,
but more importantly, it helps you network
To fully benefit from the co-
All of
these
activities
can be
recorded
in your cocurricular
record at
York.
faqs-for-learning-outcomes-and-cocurricular-record/
>http://www.yorku.ca/careers/
students/makingconnections/getinvolvedin-activity.htm
>http://www.yorku.ca/laps/
students/engage/soaring/
15
16
T H E
D O ’ S
L E T T E R
A N D
A N D
D O N ’ T S
R E S U M E
O F
C O V E R
W R I T I N G
BY: ALEXA LOPREIATO
T
here’s nothing
worse than losing
a job because you
don’t have a good
enough resume or
cover letter.
of publication)
Never apply to just any position. Why?
- This is not the time to tell people
a. You never know what you might
your life story
end up getting
- Be sure to mention only your most
b. It makes you seem like you
important skills/experiences/
are desperate
achievements
So, here’s a useful guide to ridding
3. Make sure that your diction and
yourself of those common mistakes that
tone are formal
could cost you your dream job!
5. Keep it brief
6. Proofread your work!
- Have someone else look over your work
- Don’t use slang
- The Career Centre at York University’s
- Try to avoid using ‘I’ too much
Keele campus is a great way to have a
The Cover Letter
- Use the industry language and jargon
third party review your cover letter.
What is a cover letter?
- Do not use contractions
- Don’t just edit grammatical errors.
- Do not use the same language or
Check the logic, sequence, and
words used in text messages
flow of your material.
A cover letter is a way of showing the
audience (hiring managers/recruiters) that
you understand what the job entails. It helps
you distinguish yourself from other applicants during the selection process, and it
gives your audience an idea of what you have
to offer them.
e.g. LOL, thx, hey
- Show that you’re passionate, but make
In summary, you should:
sure it’s genuine
> Know your audience
- Make sure you do not come across as
> Present your knowledge of the job
being pretentious
(make sure you know why you’re
> Confidence is important, but
applying)
The Do’s and Don’ts of Cover Letter
being too confident or arrogant
> Highlight your most relevant skills and
Writing
can work against you
make sure to back it up with evidence
1. Address your cover letter to a specific
person/audience
4. Make sure it looks professional
- Standard font size (12 point)
- If it’s mandatory or required, search out
- Use a clean and consistent font
the name of the person who will be
throughout the cover letter
reviewing your application
- Use the all or nothing rule
2. Be clear on the position to which you’re
applying for. Tell the employer where you
heard about the job
- e.g. websites (name the website);
Newspapers (which one, date
(e.g. if you make your titles bold,
keep it consistent)
- Do not use funky colored paper
and/or decorate it with images
> Keep it clear and concise
> Proofread your work
Your objective:
- Catch the audience’s attention
- Make sure that the cover letter is
relevant and specific to the job
you’re applying for
Basic Cover Letter Template
Date
Contact Person and Title
Company’s Name
Company’s Address
Paragraph 1: State the purpose and intent
of your cover letter. Tell the reader why you
chose to apply, and why you want this job?
- Use bullet points to describe your
- Do not use ‘I’ except for the objective
previous jobs
- Do not use contractions
2. Each page of your resume (ideally 2-3
- Do not use abbreviations (unless it
max) should clearly identify you
is months because of space)
- If you do not have at least 2 years of
9. Include only relevant information
experience, keep your resume to 1 page
pertaining to the job you’re applying for
3. Be consistent
- Remember the “all or nothing rule”
10. Include a section for relevant skills
and qualifications
4. Personal info such as the follow-
- Usually this section follows the
Paragraph 2: State your qualifications and
ing DOES NOT go in a resume! Why?
objective in order to create impact
provide support or examples of you exem-
because it can lead an employer to judge you
plifying your skills. Be specific and provide
based on their personal biases
11. Proofread your work!
numerical figures if applicable. For example,
- Age/weight/height
you could say that you helped raise sales by
Outrageous Resume Mistakes
- Social insurance numbers
20 percent in one year.
- Marital status
by candidates you do not
Qualification #1
Qualification #2
- Religion or political party affiliations
want to make!!!
5. List education, work experience,
Paragraph 3: Conclude your cover letter,
1. Candidate called himself a genius
and volunteer (any info that has date(s)
provide your contact information, and thank
(as mentioned before, arrogance can cost you
associated with it) in reverse chronological
the reader for their time.
the job)
order.
Signature
- i.e., most recent first, then work
Write out your full name
backwards (this gives impact)
6. Final words on resume should always
The Resume
What is a Resume?
A resume is a tool used to present your skills,
knowledge and experiences for a particular
job. The goal of having a well written
resume is to get an interview.
be “references available upon request”
their objective on their resume
you’re using as a reference
4. Candidate’s resume included phish-
7. Make the resume look professional
- You can be more creative here than on
your cover letter, but don’t go overboard
tone and diction formal
you in person
I’m looking for a job.’
- Always ask permission from the person
Writing
and to have them wanting to talk to
under the headline ‘Hi, I’m _____ and
3. Candidate listed ‘to make dough’ as
8. As with the cover letter keep the
- Goal is to gain the reader’s interest,
the applicant reclining in a hammock
- Do not list references on your resume
The Do’s and Don’ts of Resume
1. Keep your resume brief and concise
2. Candidate’s resume had a photo of
- No slang
- Do not use text messaging language
ing as a hobby
5. Candidate’s cover letter contained
“LOL.”
17
18
S T A R T I N G
W H I L E
Y O U R
Y O U ’ R E
O W N
S T I L L
B U S I N E S S
I N
S C H O O L
BY: MYKYTA PONOMARENKO
1. Why you should
start your own
business
2. How to think of
an idea
3. Make the idea and
re-evaluate it
4. Patent, trademark,
and incorporate
5. Sales
6. Venture capital
and Pitch deck
7. Useful resources
8. Advice
High unemployment, stagnant wages,
and monotonous work are what greet
students entering the workforce. These
pressures should make any student reevaluate their lifetime plans and goals. A
great alternative to all of this is to become
an entrepreneur. You make your own hours,
you set your wages, and you do what you
love. What’s not to like? There’s no better
time to start your own business than when
you’re still in school. For most businesses it
takes 2-5 years to become profitable, so you
can work on your business while leveraging
the knowledge you gain in university. By the
The next step is to implement your idea,
time you graduate, your business should be
make a prototype, or find someone who can
close to profitability and you’ll have a
help you make it. Once you’ve made your
degree to match.
idea, re-evaluate what you hope to achieve,
The first step to making an astounding
and make sure your idea is reasonable given
business is to have an astounding idea.
the resources available to you. This is the
Contrary to popular belief, it takes a lot of
point where you make the commitment to
effort to get a great idea. It doesn’t just come
work on this business for the next 5-10 years.
to you out of the blue. The system I have
Every morning, make sure that your busi-
used for the past 3 years is that every morn-
ness is the first thing on your mind and the
ing I get up and I force myself to think of 3
last thing on your mind when you go to bed.
new ideas that I haven’t seen, tried, or used.
That type of commitment is difficult for most
You can imagine how many business ideas
people to make so, take a long, hard look at
I have on my laptop. The majority of them
it before anything else. Depending on your
make no sense, but some of them are really
idea, you may have to move to another coun-
interesting. When you force yourself to think
try. For example, if you’ve started a software
of new and creative things you’ll become
company you may want to relocate to Silicon
obsessed with finding the next big thing.
Valley. If your business takes off, it might
This is how my current business started. The
make sense to move your head office to the
key to picking an amazing idea is simplicity.
United States. The U.S. market is much
The idea has to be simple enough for you
larger than Canada’s.
to be able to execute it, and innovative so
The third step is to get legal advice on how
that people will want it. Once you think you
to incorporate, patent, and trademark your
have a good idea, ask those closest to you
products. Many people decide to stay as a
to give their thoughts and opinions. Maybe
sole proprietorship at first. Sole proprietor-
they have some ideas or feedback that’ll
ships are not the right way to go because you
help you improve it. What’s more is that any
have full liability if anyone sues you for using
great idea solves a problem. The bigger the
the product. It puts you and any assets you
problem solved, the better the idea. Once
own (house, car, etc.) at risk. However, if you
you have your idea, find your target market.
Basically, find out who’ll benefit most from
your idea.
19
decide to incorporate, you will have to pay
The next step may be the most difficult and
to the market. For example, in my business
higher taxes. The better business vehicle is
the most rewarding. To manage a startup
(which is an e-commerce website for your
a limited liability company (LLC). This can
business, you require capital. The best way to
local store) our main goal is to make setting
help protect you and your family.
start a company is by getting venture capital,
up an online store cheaper and easier than
or startup money. The most likely way to
setting up a brick and mortar store.
Step number four is probably the most
attract venture funding is to prove that the
The final part of attracting funding is
important. Every business needs either sales
product works and has traction in the mar-
creating a pitch deck which is 10 to 20
or customers. If you don’t have either, you’re
ketplace. The best way to do that? Get lots
PowerPoint slides. Your pitch is intended to
dead in the water. What’s more is that you’ll
of sales. If you don’t have sales or custom-
gain the interest of investors before you show
get limited interest from any investors, and
ers, you have less than a 0.05% chance of
them your business plan. The pitch deck is
your company will go bankrupt. The best way
attracting venture funding. The average age
the first impression you give to an inves-
to get sales, especially for a new product, is to
of companies that do get venture funding is
tor so, make sure it’s the best you’ve got.
focus on a small niche market. For example,
roughly 4 years. This reinforces the fact that
Above all, when you’re looking for venture
at VendSale, I’m exclusively marketing to
the business you choose to create must be
funding, you’ll need to find investors who are
furniture stores because they have the most
sustained for at least 4 years.
experienced in your area and ones that you’d
to gain from my product. That’s not to say
While your business is growing, you also
love to work with. It’s more important to find
I won’t take other customers, I just want to
have to make a 20-40 page business plan
a venture capitalist you like and who is more
have the majority of furniture stores using
that details your vision for the next 10 years.
knowledgeable with a lower valuation of your
my product before I advertise to outside
This will be a great resource for attracting
business, rather than a high valuation. Don’t
retailers. There are many benefits to this
funding and bank loans. It’s best to make
forget this is the person who’s taking a risk
strategy because you gain a greater under-
a business plan and periodically revise it
by investing in your business.
standing of your niche market. In turn, the
as your business grows and finds its niche.
knowledge and insights you gain can help
Your business plan should not only articulate
you make a better product. Also, as you build
how you plan to make money, but it should
your portfolio, you can more readily sell your
express your founding principles. Your
product to other stores in the same market.
business plan should highlight what unique
Just don’t forget the ABC’s of sales,
qualities your product and company brings
“Always Be Closing”.
20
This summer bring
your idea to life
How to apply
First, you’re going to need a business plan.
For more information and to find your
Do you have ideas for creating your own
But don’t let that intimidate you. Your
nearest Summer Company program
company? Here’s your chance to turn
Summer Company program provider will
provider, call 1-888-745-8888, or visit
those ideas into a real business this sum-
help you get started.
www.ontario.ca/summercompany
mer. The Summer Company program
Visit www.ontario.ca/summercom-
provides you up to $3,000 and the oppor-
pany for more information.
tunity to start your very own business and
Once your business plan is ready, you can
to develop your entrepreneurial skills.
complete your application and submit both
The program is open to all Ontario stu-
online. If your business plan is approved,
dents between 15 and 29, who are return-
you’re all set to make your summer busi-
ing to school in the fall. It can help bring
ness your own.
your ideas to life. It’s exciting and highly
rewarding. And it’ll give you the chance to
be your own boss.
We can help you
with your business
The Program includes hands-on coaching
and mentoring from business people right
in your own community who volunteer
their time to support your
summer company.
When it comes to actually getting your
company up and running we’ll provide you
with up to $1,500 and around 12 hours
of training to help you get started. Then,
when you’ve successfully completed the
program at the end of the summer, we’ll
give you up to $1,500 for your
return to school.
21
1
22
C L U B S
23
A P A A
T
he Atkinson
Professional
Accounting
Association
(APAA) is a studentrun organization
that serves to
encourage leadership, excellence, and
professionalism in
Accounting students
of York University.
The association was founded in May 1998 by a
group of graduating students for the purposes
of promoting Atkinson’s Bachelor of Administrative Studies in Accounting (BAS) program,
aiding students and soliciting support from
University faculty and potential employers.
The best way to describe the growth of the
Atkinson Professional Accounting Association is by a quote from the great author J.R.R.
Tolkien who said, “ … as the tale grew so did
the telling.” Hence, as the number of students
enrolled in the BAS program with a major
in accounting grew, so did the vision of the
APAA. Today, with a membership base of over
350 students, the APAA is one of the largest
student-run organizations at York University.
Not only do the students at York look forward
to hearing from the APAA, but the auditing
and assurance firms also look forward to meeting enthusiastic students and future leaders
through events held by the APAA. Throughout
the school year, the APAA organizes
AIM provided students with the opportunity
several recruitment workshops and informa-
to connect with York Alumni currently work-
tion sessions held by reputed firms at York.
ing in the Big 5 CPA/CA Firms.
Events such as the annual CA Night and the
Spring Networking Night at Dave and Bust-
To access all these great oppor-
ers, are great events to network with firms
tunities or to learn more about
like Grant Thornton, PricewaterhouseCoo-
the club feel free to visit our
pers, Deloitte, KPMG and Ernst and Young.
The APAA is also proud to collaborate with
other Certified Management Accountants
(CMA) and Certified General Accountants
website www.yuapaa.com
and learn more about careers in
accounting.
(CGA). Together, they are able to hold
several events on campus to promote and
educate students about these designations.
CONTACT INFO
With York’s very own CGA and CMA ambas-
EMAIL: info@yuapaa.com
sadors being a part of the council, the APAA
WEBSITE: www.yuapaa.com
is a one stop-shop to all your Accounting
OFFICE: 253 ATK
related questions.
In our quest to provide further opportunities for Accounting students, the APAA is
persistently working to increase the number
of unique and diverse events held every year.
This year the APAA held its very successful
2nd AIM Conference at York University.
24
H R S A
T
he Human
Resources
Student
Association
(HRSA) is a studentrun organization
that is continually
striving to promote
personal, and professional development
among all Human
Resources Management and business
students at York
University.
As a student-run organization the HRSA
Some of the HRSA’s upcoming
strives to facilitate the knowledge of human
events include:
resources among students, faculty, and in-
> Monster.ca’s Resume Workshop
dustry leaders. Our goal is to develop an in-
> LinkedIn: Building Your Profile
novative and open culture within an organic
> Interview Workshop
organizational structure, that is distinctive
> Dress for Success
and that re-emphasizes the fundamental
> Alumni Panel
principles that constitute Human
Resources Management.
Don’t forget to visit our web-
HRSA aims to initiate a strong academic and
site, www.hrsayork.com,
social network for students and faculty. The
and join our social media pages
result is an environment that is receptive
to sharing ideas, and providing support for
one another. The HRSA facilitates close
interaction among its members of students,
industry professionals, faculty, and alumni
through a variety of career and social events.
on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn
and YuConnect so you never
miss a beat with HRSA !
CONTACT INFO
The HRSA has a great line up of events
EMAIL: info@hrsayork.com
beginning as early as January. Please feel
WEBSITE: www.hrsayork.com
free to join our mailing list by emailing
OFFICE: 112 ATK
info@hrsayork.com. This will get you
access to event reminders, job ads, and
other great opportunities.
25
M C A
Y
ou are
surrounded
by simple,
obvious
solutions that can
dramatically
increase your
income, power,
influence and success. The problem
is, you just don’t
see them.
The Management & Consulting Association is a student run non-profit leadership
initiative. We strive to help high achieving
students gain essential leadership experience
by offering numerous workshops through-
School of Administrative Studies’ (SAS) un-
out the school year. We also seek to connect
dergrad program is recognized as one of the
members of our clubs with industry profes-
premier locations for recruiting consulting
sionals and recruiters through networking
talent worldwide and for SAS’ graduates to
events during the fall and winter terms.
be leading the way as high-level performers
We have created initiatives such as The
and innovators in the consulting industry
Consultant, a strategy publication examining business issues in the global context – all
content is written by the executive team and
editions are published monthly. Additionally,
CONTACT INFO
EMAIL: info@themca.ca
we are developing a casebook, consisting
WEBSITE: www.themca.ca
of case based questions and the methods to
OFFICE: 140J ATK
solve said questions; these are also what one
would normally experience in an interview
for any consulting firm and as such, being
able to effectively handle these problems
is seen as an invaluable trait in the eyes of
recruiters. Our mission is to ensure that the
MCAYorkU
@MCAYorkU
26
N F S A
T
he National
Finance
Students
Association
(NFSA) is a studentrun organization,
which aims to
provide young individuals with career
development
opportunities in
the field of finance.
of individuals working in non-capital market
For more information about the
areas of finance along with a workshop
NFSA and upcoming events, feel
hosted by CMA designation holders.
free to like our club pages:
A networking session will then cap off the
night with attendees from a wide array of
industries like technology and finance to
consumer packaged goods. Our past event
different corporations. This demonstrates
and highlights the networking opportunities
that attendees have to look forward to.
> Networking Strategies Workshop
> Finance Interview Prep Workshop
members for a career in the corporate world
> Careers in Finance Workshop
through various development initiatives,
> Financial Modeling Workshop
> Stock Pitch Competition
competitions. With the aim of sharing
is committed in creating a network that will
bring together finance students, and faculties
from universities across Canada.
Corporate Networking Night
Corporate Networking Night is an annual
networking event hosted by the NFSA which
focuses on non-capital market areas of
finance and other industries ranging
from consumer packaged goods to telecommunications. There will be 100 attendees
selected through a competitive resume
screening process in early January. The
keynote and panel session will be comprised
CONTACT INFO
EMAIL: info@nfsa.ca
WEBSITE: www.nfsa.ca
Past Events
> Leveraging LinkedIn Seminar
knowledge, skills and resources, the NFSA
book.com/nationalfinance
included 30 representatives from 20
The NFSA strives to better equip its
such as networking sessions and case
Facebook: https://www.face-
Upcoming Events
> CFA Information Sessions
> Resume and Cover Letter Strategies
> Corporate Networking Night: January
2014
OFFICE: 140D ATK
27
N M S A
F
rom the
efforts of
a re-brand,
comes a
new club offering
exciting opportunities for students
who are interested
in being involved in
a Marketing club at
York University.
to meet with one another, and it includes
Twitter and Instagram page. Here they post
students from different universities across
different internships, job opportunities,
Ontario. In early November, the NMSA
volunteer opportunities, networking
helped organize Ad Day, a one-day confer-
opportunities, and marketing events
ence hosted by Canada’s Next Top Ad Exec.
taking place in other clubs and associations
Top Ad Exec is a national advertising and
throughout Toronto. The NMSA hopes to
marketing case competition run by
grow their association and partners in terms
McMaster University’s DeGroote School of
of awareness, recognition as a premier insti-
Business. Ad Day’s main focus is to provide
tution for students as well as build a network
students with the opportunity to learn about
of future marketing professionals. Students
marketing, advertising, and to network with
interested in becoming an NMSA member
industry professionals.
are advised to contact us via social media, YU
Speakers taking part in the Ad Day Confer-
Connect, or attending our office hours hosted
ence included: Paul Bailey (General Motors),
from Monday to Thursday from 2:30 to
Four months prior to its induction, the New
Shereen Yaseen (PepsiCo. Canada), Neil
3:30pm. The membership form is then sent
Marketing Students Association (NMSA) was
McOstrich & Catherine Frank (Co-founders
by e-mail. The fee is $15, and includes exclu-
known as the American Marketing Associa-
of Cleansheet Communications), Jae M.
sive prices to all the events hosted through-
tion (AMA). In spite of this change, previous
Rang (Jae Associated Ltd.), and Adam Green
out the year. Other perks of the membership
partnerships and industry connections have
(President of Maple North). The speakers
include monthly newsletters which contain
remained intact. The club’s objective is to
shared their knowledge and expertise on a
job postings, club updates, and event news.
educate members on the marketing indus-
variety of marketing and advertising related
Based on their diverse range of offerings,
try’s various elements, provide them with
topics. Recently, the NMSA hosted their first
joining the NMSA will provide avid students
hands-on experience outside of the class-
official Resume Building Workshop. The
an opportunity to build a marketing skill set
room, and to assist them in creating
workshop was divided into two sessions:
which will be useful in their
contacts with industry professionals.
Resume Writing & Letter of Reference and
professional careers.
The NMSA aims to be the most valuable
Interviewing & Networking Skills. It was
resource for students interested in the
hosted by Julie McCartney (Director,
Marketing field. In order to achieve this, the
Human Resources & Health and Safety
EMAIL: nmsayorku@gmail.com
NMSA offers a variety of events, workshops,
from Toys “R” Us) and Helen Hamilton
WEBSITE: www.yorku.ca/nmsayorku
speaker panels, networking opportuni-
(Recruitment and Training Manager from
OFFICE: 140H ATK
ties, and case competitions. Previously, in
Toys “R” Us). In addition to their events at
collaboration with the Ryerson Marketing
York University, the NMSA promotes events
Association (RMA), the NMSA has played
from other universities and the GTA to their
an active role in organizing the
members. They hope to educate them in the
#MktStudentsTO. #MktStudentsTO is a
various aspects of the marketing industry.
social networking event for business students
Hence, the NMSA runs an active Facebook,
CONTACT INFO
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